Song for soprano and piano
Of Lydia’s early compositions, only The Song of the Shirt for soprano and piano – written when she was 15 – is performed today in its original form. This song was written for Lydia’s younger sister Juliet. The words, by Thomas Hood (1799 – 1845), depict abject poverty and the cruel exploitation and pitiful existence of the poor. The melancholic tone of the words is reproduced by the wide use of minor keys and bare intervals.